Man arrested following woman's death on ferry released without charge

Rosslare Europort. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Gardaí have released from custody a man arrested in relation to the death of a woman on board a ferry, as investigators treat the incident as a personal tragedy.

The body of the woman was found inside a toilet on a Stena ferry sailing from Fishguard, Wales, to Rosslare, Co Wexford, on Tuesday afternoon.

The woman, a 39-year-old Irish national living in England, was travelling with a group of people to attend a funeral in Co Kildare.

The circumstances in which staff discovered her body and a preceding argument involving members of the group in a public area of the ferry initially raised suspicions that the woman may have been assaulted.

A major garda operation was scrambled after the captain of the vessel made an emergency call, with Armed Support Units and a Public Order Unit descending on Rosslare port before the ferry docked.

Once exits were secured and once on board, gardaí immediately attended the scene.

It is understood that staff had found a man in the toilet over the woman’s body, sparking initial concerns that her death was the result of an assault.

Gardaí received conflicting reports as to what might have happened, including claims that the man discovered the woman and was trying to assist her.

The man, aged 40, who was known to the woman, was arrested and held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and questioned in relation to the death.

While there were some reports that the death might have been the result of an assault further details emerged later on Tuesday indicating that the death could have been a personal tragedy.

Gardaí urged people to await the results of an autopsy, which would determine if the injuries were self-inflicted or the result of an attack by another person.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, Garda HQ said the autopsy had been completed but that the details would not be released for personal reasons.

It stated that the man had been released from custody without charge.

The death is being treated as a personal tragedy and garda inquiries are now directed towards preparing a file for the coroner in the performance of an inquest.

When gardaí boarded the ferry they were also informed about some altercation involving some people beforehand in a public area. In a statement, gardaí emphasised that they are not investigating any other separate alleged Public Order Incidents on board the ferry sailing.

Investigators are gathering background information on the woman to assist in their inquiries. Statements from all parties and witnesses are being gathered and forensic tests are also being carried out.

The Garda statement said: “Gardaí in Wexford continue to investigate all of the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman on board a passenger ferry en route to Rosslare, Co. Wexford on the evening of Tuesday, 25th February 2025.

“A post-mortem examination on the deceased woman has been completed, the results of which are not being released for operational reasons.

“The male arrested in connection with the investigation has been released from detention without charge.” It said a Garda family liaison officer continues to engage with and support the family of the deceased.

The statement added: “A Garda Senior Investigating Officer, will now supervise the completion of an investigation for the purpose of a file to assist a Coroner's Inquest."